Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 12 · 2026-08-10

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

 

Student answer (Band 7.0)

Several people support the view that parents should encourage their children to engage in planned group activities whenever they are free while others argue that it is essential for kids to develop the habit of keeping themselves engaged personally. While it is important for children to participate in organized activities involving multiple peers because it helps develop positive behavioral characteristics such as socialization and group cooperation, the relevance of children developing the habit of keeping themselves occupied on their own cannot be overlooked as it contributes to development of self growth as well as independent mindset when addressing challenges which I think is a good idea.

First and foremost, good socialization skills is one of the major behavioral characteristics acquired by children who participate in group activities. When the younger generation meet with colleagues in groups for organized activities, they find it easier to relate among each other by understanding how other people behave and how they can tolerate one another. They even tend to gain experience on how to manage crisis among peers as well as knowing how to deal with people from different background and races. Recent statistics shows that children who have little or no record of street violence and anger issues developed this as a result of tolerance and patience derived from group extracurricular activities organized in schools. Therefore, positive behavioral patterns in children are derived from experience gained through group activities during free time.

On the other hand, learning to occupy themselves independently can help children become more self-reliant. When children spend time reading, solving puzzles or engaging in creative activities on their own, they have to make decisions and solve problems without constant assistance from their parents or peers. This can gradually improve their decision-making and problem-solving abilities. For instance, a child who regularly reads books independently may learn how to understand difficult ideas without immediately asking others for help. Therefore, independent activities can encourage children to become more confident and self-sufficient.

In conclusion, despite the benefits of encouraging children to participate in group activities such as cooperation and good relationship development, I think encouraging children to learn how to engage themselves on their own is very important because it makes them independent and improves their intelligence.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both viewpoints and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the mention of reading and puzzles for independent play, and the benefits of socialization in group settings. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of ideas could be slightly more nuanced; for instance, the link between 'street violence' and 'extracurricular activities' is a strong claim that could benefit from more specific elaboration to fully convince the reader. Overall, the task is well-covered.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress logically. Cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the referencing could be more varied to improve the flow. Paragraphing is used appropriately, and the overall structure is coherent, making the argument easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. The student uses terms like 'socialization', 'self-reliant', and 'extracurricular' effectively. There are some minor issues with collocation, such as 'relate among each other' (should be 'relate to one another') and 'manage crisis' (should be 'manage crises'). While the range is adequate to convey ideas clearly, the use of less common lexical items is somewhat limited. To improve, the student should focus on more sophisticated collocations and precise word choices to enhance the academic tone of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and most sentences are clear. However, there are occasional errors, such as 'good socialization skills is' (subject-verb agreement error, should be 'are') and 'Recent statistics shows' (should be 'show'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band. The student shows an ability to construct complex sentences, but more consistent accuracy in subject-verb agreement and pluralization would elevate the score.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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